If you leave me, sweet memories will shine on through
by SonnyShotz
Summary: Just a little talk Lucas and Dawn have, before she leaves.


She had watched the same tide creep up the same shores for about an hour now. The salty, cold sea air felt especially "same" this evening; she wondered if the breeze felt any different anywhere else in the world. She had glanced back at the quiet town near this same sea more times than she could count, and she always saw the same thing: Sandgem Town, more at peace than she could remember, and every time she looked back to check if a certain person was there, the same, cold, silence greeted her. It was nothing new- the residents of Twinleaf Town and Sandgem usually settled down early in the evenings, but she couldn't help feeling a deep sort of loneliness seeing the ships run across the sea, knowing that she would be on one of those ships tomorrow morning-

It scared her, actually, to leave this tranquil peace, the feeling of "sameness". Yet the prospect of a new adventure sent tingles down her spine. So many places to see, so many people to meet-

And so many people to miss Dawn thought, sighing as the breeze made little ripples in the water. So many- Professor Rowan, Damien, Mom, Lucas...

Lucas. Where was he now? He was one of the few Sandgem residents who stayed up late, usually to study. Dawn had recalled him saying that the beach near his town was the best place to research, so quiet and peaceful and serene...

And yet he was nowhere in sight. The entire town seemed to have been put under a spell, silent as the still water, unmoving as the boulders that raised their heads above the sea.

"So alone in this world," Dawn whispered quietly. "And alone in wherever I might go... because..."

"Because what?" Dawn didn't raise her head to acknowledge the voice, she already knew who had come, and that person already knew she had recognized him.

"Where were you, Lucas?" she asked quietly, leaning her head against a tall boulder protruding from the sand.

"The Prof wanted me to stay a bit longer and do some cleaning." Lucas grinned, but Dawn just turned away. "I would've been there all night if you weren't going to..."

"Leave tomorrow? It's alright, Lucas. I don't need to be reminded."

"I thought you were excited."

"Yeah, you could call it that..."

Lucas sighed and sat down next to her. "I'm... really sorry I kept you waiting."

"I don't need to hear it, Lucas. Really, I'm fine."

"You want to come to my house? It's warmer there, and I don't want you to catch a cold..."

"It's alright. Just... go. If you want to," she added, because in truth, his presence comforted her.

"I think I'll stay," he replied, as if reading her mind. "And if you really do want me to leave..."

"No." Dawn whispered softly, and Lucas smiled.

"...well, in any case, I have something for you."

Dawn turned to face him in interest as Lucas pulled out a small bundle from his backpack. "I made these while I was cleaning. They're for you- there aren't many poffins in Hoenn." he added, quickly untying the string that held the small sack together. "Try one!"

Dawn gingerly took a poffin from inside the bag and bit down on one. Suddenly, a mischievous, although small grin overtook her face.

"You weren't really cleaning, were you, Lucas?"

Lucas sighed playfully. "Alright, you caught me. But still, they're for you."

"Thanks. The Pokémon will love them."

A silence passed between them as Dawn quietly put the sack of poffins in her yellow bag, and Lucas wondered what to say to make her feel any better. Even though Dawn was smiling, he could tell that she was trying to hide her sadness, and even though he knew she was excited, he knew that she was scared to leave Sinnoh- scared to leave the ones she knew and loved.

"So you will come and visit me, right? You'll come visit the Prof and Damien?"

Dawn turned his direction, and Lucas immediately realized that he had only made the situation worse. Dawn was trying hard not to cry, she was tough and adventurous and not a crybaby, but Lucas could tell that she was on the verge of doing so.

"Lucas... I'm going to be away for a very long time." She closed her eyes, trying to hold back tears. "I don't know when I'll be back... the world is a very big place."

"But you won't forget us?" he asked quietly.

"Not ever."

Tears now flowed freely down Dawn's face. Lucas sat there a while, somewhat staring at her in shock- he had never seen her cry before.

"Maybe I'll forget. Maybe I will. Would you forgive me if I did?" Dawn whispered, leaning against the boulder again, trying to wipe her tears away.

"I'd forgive you, Dawn..." Lucas said, but from a distance... he wasn't sure what to do.

"When I leave, would you forget me?"

"No... never."

"Why?"

"Because... you're a good friend. And you're smart, and brave, and funny, and..." Lucas couldn't say beautiful, but he thought it and knew it was true.

"I'm not that good a person." Dawn replied softly. Silent tears still flowed down her cheeks, and she turned away, not wanting a boy, even a good friend like Lucas, to see this vulnerable side of her.

"Dawn..."

"Please, Lucas..."

For a long time, the two of them just sat there. Lucas wanted to give his friend some privacy, but he didn't want her to think he didn't care...

Because he did care. She meant the world to him.

Quietly, he got up, walked over and sat down next to her. Dawn was about to get up and walk away, but Lucas pulled her down, looked into her eyes, and quietly placed his lips on hers.

It was enough. It was enough to make her want to stay. It was enough, and Dawn felt herself crying even more, wanting so badly to stay here with Lucas, to stay in Sinnoh forever.

He pulled away suddenly, the shock of what he had done had suddenly hit him, and he looked at Dawn, crying more than ever, and he felt his heart lurch.

Idiot! She hates you now. He thought. Dawn was now looking at him, blue eyes wide, and Lucas turned away, brushing the sand off of his pants.

"Sorry... I really... I don't know," he muttered quietly, glancing back at Dawn.

"It's just that... it's what I felt, all this time... and I didn't want you to forget."

"I'm never going to forget you, Lucas." she said softly. Lucas turned back, and Dawn, brushing away her tears, stood up and quietly walked to him.

"I never cry about little things, Luke. But I'm going to leave. I'm going to... I'm going to miss this. I'm going to miss you."

"But you won't forget." Lucas whispered.

"No, I'll remember. I'll remember you, and I'll remember this."

They quietly kissed again, the two of them standing by the whispering sea and the crashing waves, and moonlight bathed the entire beach in a serene glow, enveloping the two in light...

As they pulled away, Dawn smiled and glanced up at the moon.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? It makes you wonder if the moon looks the same anywhere else in the world... or the sea, or the beach."

"You know what will help?" Lucas quietly placed his hand on hers. "We'll be looking at the same moon every single night. Wherever you are, it'll help to know that whenever you see it, you'll know that somebody else in this world sees it too and is thinking of you."

Dawn smiled again, a sad, bittersweet smile.

"You'll be far away. So far away."

"But we'll keep in touch. As soon as you get to Hoenn, call the research lab... even if it's four in the morning. I'll be there."

Dawn sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Before, I thought I was alone. Do you know why?"

There was silence. Lucas shook his head.

"Because nobody knew I didn't want to leave them behind. And nobody really cared."

"Everyone cares, Dawn!"

"But only you cared enough to come see me tonight, and that's why I know you're going to be there for me."

"Yeah. Something like that." Lucas turned somewhat red, he wasn't used to sentimentals, even though he was a shy, sweet person. The two of them just stood there, quietly holding each other, knowing that this might be the last time they would see each other in person for a very, very long time.

"I should get going now... I still need to get some stuff." Dawn said after a few minutes. She was reluctant to leave him, but she knew that leaving Sinnoh was inevitable... adventure was calling her once more.

"Hold on, Dawn." Lucas murmured quietly. "Can I see your Poketch for a minute?"

Dawn nodded, holding her right wrist out, and Lucas flipped through her many applications until he got to the Memo Pad.

"Promise you won't look at this until you get to Hoenn," Lucas told her. Dawn nodded yes, although she was dying of curiosity.

With his finger, he gently wrote "Remember the beach. I"

Love you? Lucas thought, not sure what to put. He had no idea what to say, obviously Dawn had no objection when he had kissed her, but they were good friends. Maybe good friends could kiss each other sometimes. Maybe Dawn didn't return his feelings.

Instead, he wrote "Remember the beach. I'll miss you."

They hugged, one last time, and quietly, Dawn walked away. Lucas looked after her, seeing her footprints in the sand, seeing her silhouette in the distance, and he was alone, in the moonlight.

He knew what Dawn meant now, the silence. The feeling of being alone in the world, because the one he had loved and dreamed and cared about was leaving.

He sat down in the sand, watching the same tide move the sand back and forth, and wondered if it were any different anywhere else in the world.


End file.
